Completion of strategic infrastructure for Wixams Village 4

Wixams Village 4 Strategic Infrastructure

Wixams Village – largest single development in Bedfordshire

  • Client:

    L&Q Estates previously Gallagher Estates

  • Engineer:

    Hydrock

  • Location:

    Wixams Village, Central Bedfordshire

  • Sector:

    Residential

  • Project Value:

    £11 Million

Services:

Bulk Excavations Highways and Infrastructure

Project Scope

  • Infrastructure works to prepare land parcels for 2,000 homes
  • Five PCC culverts and associated in-situ concrete headwalls
  • 8.5km of storm drainage
  • 8km of foul drainage
  • Diversion of the live Houghton Conquest Foul sewer
  • 40,000m2 of adoptable carriageway
  • Six primary sub-stations
  • 12km of new service mains

Project Overview

Wixams Village, built on the site of a World War II munitions depot, will be to date the largest single strategic infrastructure development in Bedfordshire. The settlement will provide 4,500 homes over a total of four villages, built on 384 hectares. These will be supported by schools, community buildings and generous landscaping for recreational use. Village 3 is planned to include the town centre and a rail link, offering a direct connection to Bedford and London.

The strategic infrastructure works will be in readiness to support the layout, density and facilities of Village 3 whilst maintaining the design of a traditional local market town. The Stage 1 infrastructure works that will enable the client to sell the land parcels, includes in excess of 40,000m2 of new carriageways constructed under S38 agreement with both Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough Council. In order to link existing Villages 2 & 4 together, we have installed 8.5km of new storm drainage. The foul drainage network is more complex, with a detailed existing sewer diversion taking place prior to the installation of 8km of new foul drainage. Due to the existing network of brooks and waterways, the scope included for the supply and installation of five pre-cast concrete culverts with associated reinforced concrete headwalls. These works also included the diversion of the existing watercourses, in-situ Clipsham stone facework and vehicular and pedestrian restraint systems.

Project Challenges

As with all infrastructure schemes, we worked around numerous existing apparatus’, namely medium pressure gas mains and fibre networks, to install the storm and foul networks while reducing the risk of harm to our operatives by utilising in-house vacuum excavators. The Houghton Conquest Sewer is the main foul sewer for the local village of Houghton Conquest and runs through the development. Part of our scope was to divert the sewer under the new road network, with temporary diversions taking place prior to the main diversion and eventual abandonment of the old sewer. Due to the sewer depth, we carried out in-situ testing to ensure any historically contaminated material was correctly handled, and the excavations backfilled with clean material taken from excavations elsewhere on site.

Project Outcome

Working with L&Q Estates presents an exciting new chapter in the continuous growth for us at ECL. This large infrastructure project has showcased our ability to liaise with multiple stakeholders to ensure the smooth and on-time delivery of a demanding project programme.
I couldn't be happier with ECL’s progress and performance on the Wixams Village 4 residential development. It’s clear safety and the quality of workmanship are always ECL’s top priorities.

Stephen Sage, Project Director at LQ Estates

Wixam Drainage Civil Engineering
Wixam Infrastructure ECL
Wixam Infrastructure
Wixam Infrastructure ECL
Wixam Infrastructure ECL
Wixam Infrastructure ECL

Are you ready to partner with ECL?

We collaborate on projects within all sectors to provide efficient, cost-effective and innovative solutions to every civil engineering need.
Start Your Project With ECL